A partnership of the History Book Festival and the Lewes Public Library, this monthly history book discussion group is open to all lovers of history meets on the third Wednesday of the month at 2 pm.

This month's book is Blame the Dead, by Ed Ruggero. (Macmillan, 2020). Author Ed Ruggero will join the discussion via Zoom. REGISTER HERE

Blame the Dead, the first book in a planned World War II series, is set in a U.S. Army field hospital in Sicily in 1943. Military Police lieutenant Eddie Harkins, a former Philadelphia cop, is called to investigate the murder of Dr. Myers Stephenson. Harkins and nurse Kathleen Donnelly, a childhood friend who may be something more, struggle to find the killer as the battle lines push forward. Publisher’s Weekly calls Blame the Dead an “exceptional WWII mystery … Ruggero makes the carrying out of a homicide inquiry in wartime both exciting and plausible.”

Ed Ruggero is a West Point grad and former Army officer who has written 11 books—fiction, military history, and titles on leadership. He runs retreats for business executives to Normandy and Gettysburg. A part-time resident of Lewes, Ed was a site MC at the 2019 History Book Festival and is serving as MC for some of this year’s virtual festival offerings.

NOTE: This meeting is being conducted through Zoom, an online meeting platform that is very user friendly. You may join the meeting using your computer or telephone. However, you MUST REGISTER for this event. You will receive specific instructions for joining Zoom the day prior to the meeting.

Here are basic written instructions for using Zoom and a brief video tutorial.

Purchase Blame the Dead at Browseabout Books, official bookseller of the History Book Festival, and help support local independent bookstores. Online sources and digital versions are tempting; however, supporting local brick and mortar shops helps to preserve our vibrant main streets. Drop by the store, order books online, or call in your order to 302-226-2665.

The History Book Discussions are presented by the History Book Festival and the Lewes Public Library, in conjunction with the Delaware Division of Libraries and Sussex County Libraries, and sponsored by Dogfish Head Craft Brewery.